CONNECTICUT – The state will take a new ‘applied approach’ to vaccine deployment, Governor Ned Lamont announced on Tuesday due to a limited amount of coronavirus vaccine.
The spread will prioritize the remaining groups in phase 1b, based on the risk of adverse health outcomes by the virus.
Lamont said he recommends that implementation be done in a “fair way,” with the distribution of vaccines focused on areas where residents and communities have barriers to access and care.
The low approach to phase 1b will proceed as follows:
- Plan now: People older than 75 years
- Next schedule (probably early February): People between 65 and 74 years
- Planning soon (probably late February or early March): essential frontline workers and people with underlying medical conditions who are at increased risk for serious illness
The introduction of the vaccine to staff and residents of municipal residential areas will be phased in during phase 1b.
“We are working to administer the vaccine to as many people as possible, but the biggest barrier is still our supply, as we will only receive about 45,000 doses of the vaccine per week, while 1.4 million people are eligible. phase 1b, “Lamont said.” That’s why we’re working to carry it out in a way that gets the vaccine to the people at greatest risk.
“The good news is that we see an overwhelming number of people in our state wanting to receive the vaccine – and that’s an important component in keeping our residents safe from COVID-19,” Lamont added. “In the meantime, our administration will continue to do everything in its power to obtain more doses of the vaccine in Connecticut as soon as possible.”
On Tuesday, the state Department of Public Health sent a notice to all school districts, local health departments and vaccine providers asking that anyone who has an appointment for Friday of this week or later should cancel these appointments unless they are over 75 . or if they are able to receive vaccine as part of phase 1a.
Similarly, vaccine providers with clinics scheduled last Thursday and not dedicated to people aged 75 and over or eligible for Phase 1a are asked to cancel the clinics. This is done to ensure that Connecticut’s focus on individuals over the age of 75 is maintained, Lamont said in a statement.
“In order to vaccinate our 75 plus residents as quickly as possible so that we can move to the other groups within 1b, it is critical that we focus on getting shots into the arms of the older and most vulnerable residents,” the acting public said Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford.
On Sunday, approximately 221,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Connecticut since the start of the vaccination program in the state, including 196,000 first doses. Connecticut administered 71 percent of the total doses it received from the federal government, including 92 percent of the doses allocated to all health care organizations and local health departments, which placed the state in the top five of the states for administration. of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Lamont.